'Grandmother Earth gives us a home, and we don't always take care of her,' he says. 'This is something I think about a lot.'

Written by

Bill Nutt
| For the Asbury Park Press

Dr. John uses the word "funk" as a compliment of the highest order. So when he says that the gospel group the Blind Boys of Alabama is funky, it carries some weight.

"One thing I have to say about gospel music is it's a lot funkier than it used to be," says Dr. John. "It's a great thing when music goes in a direction that people don't expect."

Dr. John is currently performing with the Blind Boys of Alabama in the "Spirituals to Funk" tour. The next stops will be the State Theatre in New Brunswick on Sunday, Nov. 11, the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown on Thursday, Nov. 15 and the Bergen Performing ...